Abstract

Biomass provides potential benefits for obtaining value-added compounds instead of straight burning; as Chile has forestry potential that supports such benefits, it is crucial to understand the biomasses' properties and their thermochemical behaviour. This research presents a kinetic analysis of thermogravimetry, and pyrolysis of representative species in the biomass of southern Chile, heating biomasses at 5 to 40 & DEG;C & BULL;min(-1) rates before being subjected to thermal volatilisation. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated from conversion using model-free methods (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), and Friedman (FR)), as well as the Kissinger method based on the maximum reaction rate. The average Ea varied between KAS 117 and 171 kJ & BULL;mol(-1), FWO 120-170 kJ & BULL;mol(-1), and FR 115-194 kJ & BULL;mol(-1) for the five biomasses used. Pinus radiata (PR) was identified as the most suited wood for producing value-added goods based on the Ea profile for the conversion (& alpha;), along with Eucalyptus nitens (EN) for its high value of reaction constant (k). Each biomass demonstrated accelerated decomposition (an increase in k relative to & alpha;). The highest concentration of bio-oil containing phenolic, ketonic, and furanic compounds was produced by the forestry exploitation biomasses PR and EN, demonstrating the viability of these materials for thermoconversion processes.